Amazon Shipping Delays: How to Handle Them Like a Pro

Amazon Prime has been the poster child of efficient shipping services. 

However, in recent years delays have become more common due to demand increases, external disruptions such as harsh weather, and logistical challenges. Black Friday, a peak shopping season, is a great example of logistical roadblocks.

During this season the sheer rise in orders affect the entire Amazon delivery network, which results in significant shipping delays. 

Unfortunately, shipping delays can be a serious issue for not only your customers but also sellers. 

In this article, we can explore the complexities of Amazon’s shipping delay by understanding the impact, causes, and potential solutions that will help your business operate more smoothly.

So let’s dive in. 

Quick Guide

• What Are Amazon Shipping Delays?
• Why Is On-Time Important Delivery For Sellers?
• Reasons for Why Amazon Shipping Delayed
• How Does Amazon Prevent Shipping Delays?
• How delivery delays impact Amazon sellers
• What To Do When Your Amazon Package Is Late
• How to be proactive and avoid shipment delays on Amazon?
• Related FAQs for Sellers
  • Does Amazon Prime no longer offer two-day shipping?
  • How long does it take to get an order from Amazon?
  • Can You Get a Refund From Shipping Delays?
  • What To Do When Your Amazon Package Is Late
• Wrapping It Up

What Are Amazon Shipping Delays?

An Amazon shipping delay happens when packages ordered by customers through the e-commerce giant take longer than the estimated time to reach the destination.

As mentioned earlier, the reasons for that delay can be high order volume, logistical challenges, bad weather, or any unexpected event. All these factors can frustrate the customers as well as the sellers. 

For example, not only will it impact customer satisfaction, but if left unchecked, it could negatively impact your sales momentum and overall profitability.

Most importantly, shipping delays drastically affect sellers who use FBA for their fulfillment. You will have no choice but to coordinate with Amazon to resolve any shipping issues. 

Keep reading to learn more on how to resolve these shipping issues.

Why Is On-Time Important Delivery For Sellers?

It is important to deliver the products on time to customers. 

Here are some reasons why timely delivery is important on Amazon or else your account will have to face the below consequences:

Late shipment consequences: If you fail to deliver products on time, it can result in negative consequences for both you and the customer. Late shipments can lead to negative feedback, low ratings, and even lost customers.

If you want to know more about late shipment and account health, check out this article.

Amazon FBA policy: If you’re using Amazon’s FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) service, timely delivery is even more critical. FBA has strict policies and metrics that sellers must adhere to, such as the requirement to ship products to Amazon fulfillment centers within a certain time frame.

Suspension: If you fail to meet Amazon’s performance standards, your account may be suspended or even permanently closed. Late shipment rate is one of the key metrics that Amazon uses to measure seller performance, so it’s crucial to keep this rate as low as possible.

Thus, delivering products on time is crucial for maintaining a positive reputation, avoiding penalties, and preventing account suspension on Amazon. By ensuring timely delivery, you can build trust with customers, improve your seller metrics, and increase your chances of success on the platform.

Reasons for Why Amazon Shipping Delayed

There are various reasons why Amazon shipping is delayed. Here are some:

1.Peak Season

As mentioned in the introduction, seasonality is a major factor that fuels shipping delays

This is primarily due to the large volume of orders during days like Prime Day, and Black Friday or during shopping seasons such as Christmas. An increase in demand can overwhelm the fulfillment centers which can thus lead to massive delays.

2.Logistical Challenges

A complex logistics network can involve multiple stages like order processing, picking, packing, and shipping. If there’s any disruption or inefficiencies in any step of the process such as inventory shortages, equipment malfunctions, or transportation issues can create a bottleneck. 

3.Bad Weather

Severe conditions like storms, hurricanes, or snowstorms can disrupt transportation routes and can cause delays in delivery. Due to this, transportation flights or ships can be canceled or delayed, or road conditions can be bad which will impact the movement of the products. 

4. Supplier Issues

There can be delays in delivery if your supplier fails to deliver your products to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. There can be various reasons at the supplier level which can be supply chain disruption, or quality control issues which will cause delays. 

5. Carrier Delays

Certain popular carriers that will not be named are notorious for their cavalier attitude when it comes to handling deliveries. 

Unfortunately, Amazon depends on these carriers to deliver its products to customers. Therefore, you may run into problems such as carrier capacity constraints, staffing shortages, operational challenges, or the good oh “I lost the package while horsing around”. Issues like these can seriously affect your business. 

6. Unexpected Events

Some unexpected events can happen like natural disasters, labor strikes, or global pandemics like COVID-19, etc which will disrupt the supply chain and logistical operations. This can lead to delays in fulfilling and delivering orders. 

7.Seller Performance Issues

Of course, we can’t always blame others. Sometimes we need to look within. Amazon sellers are ultimately responsible for fulfilling their orders. Therefore, if you’ve dropped the ball and have inventory shortages, operational issues, or have failed to meet Amazon’s performance standards, you could end up shooting yourself in the foot.

Therefore, it is important to understand these reasons so that you can implement strategies that can solve them.

How Does Amazon Prevent Shipping Delays?

There are several ways to prevent shipping delays and to ensure timely delivery to the customers. Here are some effective strategies:

1.Expansion of Fulfillment Network

Amazon is continuing to expand its network of fulfillment centers by locating it across the globe. If there are fulfillment centers near the customers, then it can reduce Amazon shipping distances and accelerate the delivery time

2.Advanced Technology

Amazon uses advanced technologies like robotics, machine learning, and predictive analytics which will optimize the fulfillment process. These technologies can help improve your inventory management, and identify potential bottlenecks before the delays are caused.

3.Increased Shipping Capacity

Amazon has partnerships with multiple carriers and logistical companies which can increase the shipping capacity and flexibility. By investing in a delivery network like Amazon Logistics, you will get greater control on the delivery process which will reduce the dependency on the third-party carriers. 

4.Enhanced Supply Chain Visibility

To get real-time visibility into the supply chain, Amazon uses advanced tracking and monitoring systems. This helps in the proactive management of inventory levels, identification of potential disruptions, and timely intervention to prevent delays.

5. Strategic Inventory Placement

It is important to stock your popular items in multiple locations because Amazon can fulfill your orders from the nearest available inventory which will reduce your shipping time. This is why Amazon has strategically placed inventory in fulfillment centers which is based on the demand forecasts and historical sales data.

If you implement these measures then you can minimize shipping delays and can provide an absolute shopping experience on Amazon. 

How delivery delays impact Amazon sellers 

Delivery delays can have a significant impact on Amazon sellers, including:

1.Fast delivery delays result in a customer churn rate.

Fast shipping times have also grown in importance for consumers, and one of the key factors that has a negative effect on customers’ satisfaction with products is the postponement of deliveries. Amazon frequently shows the estimated delivery times for your items which makes the buyers go for the ones with early delivery to keep the sellers competitive.

Given the fact that lately, more and more individuals are in the habit of purchasing products from a seller that has delivery delays, customers are very cautious and they demand sophisticated transportation processes. If it takes too long for customers to receive their orders, then most of them get more restless.

Consequently, time is a significant factor in any online shopping on Amazon, but the case is especially so for one popular e-commerce website – Amazon. The long delivery times may be the most important hazard when it comes to client deterrence and most of them will choose new sellers who can quickly meet their orders’ deadlines.

2.Amazon advertisers to rethink advertising tactics

Sellers may have to reconsider their advertisements when deliveries can end up becoming detrimental to sales. It is just the opposite; if the delivery of the products takes a longer time, it is worthless to spend money on Amazon PPC ads. Your clients will not always buy the ASIN after clicking it, which will cause additional unnecessary spending.

Amazon ads are a mighty instrument kindling the fire of traffic and revenue for your Amazon store. Nevertheless, the scenario could be different, especially if you cease to invest in the ads because it would mean that your store’s visibility would also drop meaning your performance will continue to decline.

But, avoid relying only on organic rankings as this won’t guarantee the market share and the sales potential you need on Amazon. The butterfly effect also resonates with the influence that paid ads have on key performance indicators which function as a compass steering the positioning of your product in the unpaid search results. 

Our recommendation is to resolve the productivity issues before they worsen.

Recommended read: Is it possible for a seller to have multiple Amazon accounts?

3.Account termination is possible due to order backlogs

You risk creating an order backlog if you maintain active product listings while waiting for stock deliveries. Similarly, if you sell more items than you have in stock, you won’t be able to fulfill orders.

Account termination is at our disposal because of order backlogs, which means we can stop a particular account if it has a large number of orders to meet the required demand.

Thus, incidents like these can harm your Amazon store’s reputation. Amazon demands that sellers prioritize fast shipping, which has been a crucial factor in its success. Seller’s unwillingness to timely fulfill orders creates a high degree of dissatisfaction among buyers, which in turn causes sellers who fail to ship on time to experience a considerable amount of backlash.

You might bring your customer a good dilemma by the consequence of shipping orders after the expected date. Thus your Late Shipment Rate is also tracked for each seller on Amazon. To continue becoming an active vendor on Amazon means that you have to stay within the 4% threshold for Late shipment rates. It is important to keep in mind that once your Amazon account has reached this activity level; you may be banned from such.

4.Impact of negative reviews and feedback

If your Amazon store experiences delays in product deliveries, you may struggle to keep up with demand and risk running out of stock.

When your products are out of stock on Amazon, your listings will no longer appear in search results, resulting in a decrease in visibility and potential customers. This can lead to a drop in sales and revenue, as well as a reduction in advertising revenue.

It is essential for Amazon sellers to manage their inventory carefully to avoid order backlogs and delivery delays. Failure to meet Amazon’s policies and provide excellent customer service can result in negative reviews, account deactivation, and loss of business.

In addition to maintaining customer satisfaction and upholding their reputation, you can minimize negative impacts on their business operations by implementing these strategies.

How to be proactive and avoid shipment delays on Amazon?

Now that you understand how shipping delays impact your business, we suggest the following strategies to stay proactive in avoiding delays.

Use reliable shipping services: Select a trusted shipping service that enables you to monitor your package with accurate tracking information and on-time delivery. You can also look into applying the FBA model to your business which takes care of related services like storage, packaging, and shipping for you.

Here are examples of trusted carriers known for their accurate tracking information and on-time delivery:

• UPS (United Parcel Service): UPS is a well-established shipping carrier known for its extensive delivery network and reliable service. They offer various shipping options, including ground, air, and expedited services, with robust tracking capabilities.

• FedEx: FedEx is another reputable shipping carrier renowned for its fast and reliable delivery services. With advanced tracking technology and a range of shipping options, FedEx provides customers with visibility into their shipments and ensures timely delivery.

• USPS (United States Postal Service): USPS offers a wide range of shipping services, including Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express, known for their affordability and reliability. USPS provides detailed tracking information and delivers to both residential and commercial addresses.

Monitor your inventory: Maintain your product availability by avoiding stockouts which you can do by keeping a close eye on your inventory levels. In order to avoid a lack of stock, you might want to explore the demand forecasting provided by Amazon. Thus, you will be able to determine the level of demand for certain items during a specific time frame.

Communicate with customers: Inform your customers about the current status of their orders via tracking information and updates. It is necessary to do this throughout the whole fulfillment process. This provides the platform to increase trust levels and lessen the chances of negative feedback occurrence because of defective shipments.

Amazon’s official policy only allows for customer service representatives to offer a freebie on the first late Amazon Prime delivery. Other than that the company might be less willing to offer a deal if delays start to pile up.

Monitor your performance metrics: Check your performance metrics frequently among others to evaluate their late shipment rate and spot any problems to fix them on time. By auditing your FBA business, you can identify aspects that need refinement, uncover potential issues or discrepancies, optimize processes, and make data-driven decisions to take your e-commerce game to a higher level. Consider continuing improvements and optimizations in your fulfillment process through this data.

The application of these solutions can help you ward off shipment delays and ensure the satisfaction of your Amazon customers. Therefore, this should help in making you known as a consistently good seller, consequently, increasing customer loyalty and ultimately turning sales and business growth into a reality.

Related FAQs for Sellers

Does Amazon Prime no longer offer two-day shipping?

Currently, two-day shipping via Amazon Prime is offered as an option, but intellectual and physical obstacles may be present in the shipping line, inclement weather, and high demand that can cause disruptions in the delivery network.

So far, Amazon has not revealed any changes to its ‘Prime’ delivery service concept, but some Prime shipment orders do take longer than expected because of the aforementioned reasons.

How Long Does it Take to Get an Order from Amazon?

The number of days it will take your Amazon order to arrive varies with the delivery method of your own choice, availability of the products, and shipping destination.

Standard shipping 

It is the standard shipping option for the majority of the products, usually arriving between 3-5 business days after the customer’s purchase is processed. The service time can be different based on the availability of the product, some of the items ship immediately while others take several days to process.

Expedited shipping

Besides, Amazon has been expanding its shipping options from 2-day and 1-day shipping for an extra amount. With these solutions guaranteeing a quicker delivery service, the items will be shipping in two-day shipping within two business days and one-day shipping within one business day after processing.

Same-day shipping

Amazon also provides same-day delivery options for eligible items, and the delivery takes place in selected cities at an extra charge. Orders that will be processed before the morning deadline will show up to the recipient by the end of the day.

Alongside these other shipping options, Amazon introduced the Prime Now service which is meant to deliver grocery items to eligible customers within two hours of placing the order. Prime Now is available in select cities and requires a separate subscription.

1. Average Time for Prime Members

Now as a Prime member, Amazon comes with a variety of advantages including free and quick shipments of eligible commodities. Viewing the time an Amazon Prime member takes to receive their orders, you must understand the shipping method, and the customer’s location.

Prime members usually enjoy free two-day shipping on items guided for free two-day shipping without targeting any minimum purchases. Imagine that your orders are expected to be delivered within the two days following the processing time, and this can fluctuate depending on the availability of the products and your workload.

Moreover, Prime members are able not only to enjoy two-day shipping but also can choose the more fast-paced offerings for an additional price, for example, one-day and same-day delivery. The other choices of timely deliveries with one-day shipping and then same-day delivery that is done within one business day vary with the locations.

2.Average Time for Non-Members

If you are not a Prime member, the shipping time may be around 3-4 business days delayed. This may take up more time to arrive at your house than the average Prime member.

Furthermore, in cases where Prime clients have to face delays in shipping, the non-Prime buyers will have very long delays that are too much worse compared to those when the regular members are given priority in the shipment process.

Can You Get a Refund From Shipping Delays?

This is the section for customers and users who don’t know the reasons for their delayed deliveries.

Whether you are entitled to a refund for shipping delays and the fulfillment of Amazon services will be dictated by your specific circumstances and the policies of Amazon.

Amazon standards that refund requests after late shipment of Amazon orders fulfilled by Amazon can be processed are of such type. Nevertheless, Amazon does not give a guarantee that a package will be delivered at a certain time and the exact time of delivery may change due to causes that are not predictable in advance, such as weather events, issues with carriers, or the product itself.

In the scenarios where Amazon might reckon in providing further incentives for overdue orders like delayed credits or discounts for next purchases. Nevertheless, such a guarantee is not always given but rather put at the disposal of Amazon’s customer support.

If an Amazon customer wants to claim a re-shipment refund because of the wrong time delivery then they can communicate with the client’s service via the “Contact Us” page of the Amazon website or app. The service team in question will peruse the order and the specific details of the delay and decide the nature of the reimbursement or any other compensation they deem fit for the case.

To properly outline Amazon’s policies, one has to bear in mind that these policies may be different depending on the picked product and the shipping method chosen at checkout. For instance, in the case of products fulfilled by third-party sellers, the return or refund policy may vary from the same of orders fulfilled by Amazon.

There is no standard rule as to whether you can get a refund for shipping delays on Amazon or not. It simply depends on the reason and circumstances of the delay and Amazon’s policies.

What To Do When Your Amazon Package Is Late

You must take these steps to decrease the impact on your business. Let’s look at some:

1.Explore Compensation Options

In some situations, Amazon offers compensation for the shipping delays. 

You can inquire with Amazon customer service if you want to know the available options for your specific situations. 

If you find yourself in a situation where your Amazon shipment is delayed, and you want to know about the compensation option, then here’s how:

1. Reach out to Amazon’s customer service team for assistance. Do this by visiting the “Help & Customer Service” section on the Amazon website or app.
2. Once you’re on the Help & Customer Service page, look for the “Contact Us” option. 
3. Amazon provides various contact methods, including live chat, phone support, and email. Select the option that best suits your preferences and availability.
4. While contacting Amazon customer service, keep in mind to provide relevant order details, such as the order number, tracking information, and details about the delayed shipment.
5. Explain to the customer service representative that your shipment has been delayed and inquire about potential compensation options available to you.
6. Depending on the complexity of your situation, you may need to follow up with Amazon’s customer service team to obtain further information or updates regarding compensation options.

By following these steps and engaging with Amazon’s customer service team, you can explore potential compensation options available for shipping delays and seek solutions for your specific situation.

2.Contact Amazon Customer Service

You should eagerly communicate with Amazon customer service if you want to get insights into the status of your shipment. This will provide you with relevant order details and request updates on your shipping timeline. When resolving issues, it would be helpful to provide comprehensive information such as order numbers and tracking details.

Also, Amazon provides Seller Support, for addressing customer-specific inquiries and issues. Customers can access Seller Support through the Amazon page and use features such as resolving issues efficiently.

Moreover, if customers are contacting Amazon by phone, customers can explore the option of requesting a callback. This feature allows customers to schedule a time for Amazon’s seller service team to call them, minimizing wait times and providing convenience.

3.Monitor Order Closely

It is important to regularly monitor your orders to make sure that your products are timely shipped and that your delivery status is tracked. By staying vigilant, you can detect any potential issues early on and take steps to resolve them before they escalate. 

Third-party inventory management tools often provide centralized dashboards where sellers can view all their orders across multiple platforms, including Amazon. This allows sellers to track order statuses, shipping updates, and delivery timelines from a single interface, simplifying the monitoring process.

Many inventory management tools offer automated alert systems that notify sellers of any potential issues or delays with their orders. Sellers can set up customized alerts based on specific criteria, such as delayed shipments or low inventory levels, allowing them to take proactive steps to address issues promptly.

By using third-party inventory management tools, Amazon sellers can well organize the process of monitoring orders, track delivery status, and proactively address any issues or delays that may arise, ultimately enhancing their overall selling experience on the platform.

Additional resource: Streamlining Amazon Order Management: Best Practices for Success

4.Preventive Measures

If you want to prevent shipping delays from occurring in the future you should take proactive measures like partnering with reliable shipping carriers known for their on-time delivery, various shipping options, accurate product information and inventory levels, and also communicating transparently with the customers about their shipping timelines.

Wrapping It Up

Shipping delays can be due to many factors like high order value, unpredictable events, and logistical challenges. But to reduce the delay you need to take proactive measures. 

You must give importance to transparent communication, and an efficient fulfillment process, you can reduce shipping delays effectively. By trying to meet customer expectations and by continuously refining your operations, you can minimize the consequences of shipping delays and uphold your reputation on Amazon. If you want to unlock a continuous revenue stream, SellerApp’s Refund Analyzer can be a good fit. SellerApp’s FBA auditing and reconciliation partnership can help you maximize your FBA reimbursements.

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